All Lewis entries for Drumlease

DROMAHAIRE

DROMAHAIRE, a village, in the parish of DRUMLEASE, barony of DROMAHAIRE, county of LEITRIM, and province of CONNAUGHT, 8 miles (S. E. by E.) from Sligo, on the road from Collooney to Manor-Hamilton ; containing 336 inhabitants. A castle was built here in early times by a chieftain of this district, called O'Rourke, and named after him, part of which still exists, but most of it was used by Sir William Villiers in the erection of the castle of Dromahaire, under a patent dated in 1626, by which 11,500 acres of land, with power to empark 2000 acres, and hold two markets, was granted to the Duke of Buckingham, Of this castle, seven massive and ornamented stacks of chimneys remain, and the lodge occupied by Mr. Stewart, agent to G. L. Fox, Esq., occupies part of its site. At Creevlea a monastery for Franciscans of the Observantine order was established, in 1508, by Margaret ny Brien, wife of O'Rourke. This building was never completed, but the walls, in which are some curious figures, are entire, and the altar is nearly so. The effigy of the great O'Rourke lies at full length on a tomb over the burial-place of his family, and there are also curious figures over the graves of the Morroghs, Cornins, and others. The village, which, together with the entire neighbourhood, has been greatly improved under the auspices of Mr. Lane Fox, contained, in 1831, 64 houses: it has a penny post to Collooney and is a constabulary police station. A market is held on Monday in a neat market-house, and a fair on the 13th of every month, and petty sessions are held on alternate Wednesdays. A dispensary is partly supported by a subscription of £20 per annum from Mr. Lane Fox. On the side of a hill are the ruins of an old church, consisting of a nave and chancel, divided by a heavy tower supported by elliptical arches. The conventual buildings, of which the foundation is attributed to St. Patrick, formed two squares contiguous to the church.

DRUMLEASE

DRUMLEASE, a parish, in the barony of DROMAHAIRE, county of LEITRIM, and province of CONNAUGHT, on the road from Manor-Hamilton to Sligo ; containing, with the village of Dromahaire (which is described under its own head), 3901 inhabitants. An abbey was erected here by St. Patrick, who placed St. Benignus over it ; the site is said to have been that occupied by the parish church. The parish comprises 14,403 statute acres : there is a considerable quantity of bog. Limestone abounds, and at Dromahaire is a good marble quarry. Besides the fairs at Dromahaire, twelve monthly fairs are held at Newtown, where there are also fairs on the 25th of Feb., May, Aug., and November. The gentlemen's seats are Shriff Villa, the residence of Capt. H. Palmer ; Bellvue, of P. Carter, Esq. ; and Dromahaire Lodge, of D. Stewart, Esq., agent of G. L. Fox, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Kilmore, and in the patronage of the Bishop ; the rectory is appropriate to the see. The tithes amount to £130, of which, £86. 13. 4. is payable to the bishop, and £43. 6. 8. to the vicar. The glebehouse was built by aid of a gift of £100, and a loan of £900, in 1834, from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners ; the glebe comprises 577 acres. The church is a neat edifice, in a picturesque situation, rebuilt by aid of a loan of £1000 in 1817, from the late Board of First Fruits, and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £154. 19. 6. for its repair. In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, comprising also a small portion of Clonlogher ; the chapel is in the townland of Luglustran. There is a place of worship for Primitive Methodists. About 420 children are taught in the four public schools of the parish, and there are five private schools, in which are about 450 children. Near the villa of Shriff is an ancient burial-ground, used by the Roman Catholics By the side of Loughgill are the ruins of a fine old castle ; and there are remains of religious houses near Dromahaire, and at the Lodge. There are a sulphureous and a chalybeate spring. Crystal spars abound in the rocks of the mountains.